diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index 10f15a3e3a95..e2014b1250ea 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -4157,6 +4157,8 @@ bpf_object__collect_prog_relos(struct bpf_object *obj, Elf64_Shdr *shdr, Elf_Dat
 
 	scn = elf_sec_by_idx(obj, sec_idx);
 	scn_data = elf_sec_data(obj, scn);
+	if (!scn_data)
+		return -LIBBPF_ERRNO__FORMAT;
 
 	relo_sec_name = elf_sec_str(obj, shdr->sh_name);
 	sec_name = elf_sec_name(obj, scn);